Oldham Athletic v Swindon Town Matchday Thread

[The Artist Formerly Known as Audrey]

I honestly think a few players getting slated on here are just victims of being asked to perform in a style they are not capable of playing.

Why this isn't addressed by the powers that be or just plainly ignored is a huge ongoing problem.

There was a football documentary on today about the Leeds Division 1 winning team of 91/92 (I think). The next season was the introduction  of the back pass rule and their defenders which were fundamental to winning the league the season before couldn't cope as well with the ball now being passed out short to them from the GK.

[Reg Smeeton]

I honestly think a few players getting slated on here are just victims of being asked to perform in a style they are not capable of playing.

Why this isn't addressed by the powers that be or just plainly ignored is a huge ongoing problem.

There was a football documentary on today about the Leeds Division 1 winning team of 91/92 (I think). The next season was the introduction  of the back pass rule and their defenders which were fundamental to winning the league the season before couldn't cope as well with the ball now being passed out short to them from the GK.

Yes, back pass rule changed for 92/93 the 1st Prem season.

I remember being at Twerton Park, early that season, when a ball pinged off Colin Calderwood in a scramble, going in the vague direction of Fraser, who was unsure if he could pick it up so opted to try and chest it as he was prostrate on the deck.

You could see the idiot ref was dying to give a free kick with his new power. The ball brushed Fraser's arm as it came off his chest...Rovers scored from the subsequent free kick.

[Batch]

I'm sure a few of us were playing then too. It was a bloody confusing time for amatures and pros alike.

Liverpool would have been buggered if they hadn't already been shit, the masters of killing a game by a thousand back passes.

[deltaincline]

Williams scares the shit out of me to be honest. I don't doubt he's got the makings of being a decent coach, but he was naive beyond belief to admit that he was wrong not to bring players in during January.

Some may argue that he was just being honest, but he made the mistake of grandstanding at the time, the message being that he'd rather work with fewer players than bring anyone else in. As we all know, that decision came back to kick his backside, but his inaction and subsequent admission of the error just demonstrated his lack of experience and created serious doubts about him for many of us.

Looking at the broader picture, many have said before that this is a small town. People talk. Many fans know players and staff who work at the club. As we all know, the vibe from within the club is not very good at the moment.

Power clearly thinks he knows football inside out. He's comes over as an old-school geezer who thinks that the fans will simply shut the fuck up if the team are doing well, and he's right, to an extent.

Problem is, some of us have seen all this before: Shit football, second-rate players, tatty stadium, lack of investment, shit PR, arrogant Chairman, selling players, patronising bullshit about the club having to stand on it's own two feet.

History tells us that Administration and/or a CVA usually follows a sustained period where conditions such as these prevail.

I wonder how many fans will drop off the season ticket radar next season? How many casuals will simply find something else to do? How many dads just won't bother taking their kids along any more as the product on the pitch is so fucking mind-numbingly depressing and boring?

[dogs]

I'm sure a few of us were playing then too. It was a bloody confusing time for amatures and pros alike.

Liverpool would have been buggered if they hadn't already been shit, the masters of killing a game by a thousand back passes.

I'm sure a few of us were playing then too. It was a bloody confusing time for amatures and pros alike.

Liverpool would have been buggered if they hadn't already been shit, the masters of killing a game by a thousand back passes.
[/quote]

Might sound far fetched, but you've just smashed the nail on the head with a sledge hammer.

Liverpool were so good at passing the ball out from the back, teams of that era couldn't cope. Even when they tried to emulate it, they couldn't.

Move on 20 odd years and Barca with Guardiola played the same way, most likely influenced by watching the way that Liverpool side played, or recalling those tactics. Whether that be a scout or the manager, that Barcelona team from emulating the old Liverpool side has changed format currently, fundamentally. For the time being anyway.

[inept and tiresome]

Williams scares the shit out of me to be honest. I don't doubt he's got the makings of being a decent coach, but he was naive beyond belief to admit that he was wrong not to bring players in during January.


Looking at the broader picture, many have said before that this is a small town. People talk. Many fans know players and staff who work at the club. As we all know, the vibe from within the club is not very good at the moment.


Problem is, some of us have seen all this before: Shit football, second-rate players, tatty stadium, lack of investment, shit PR, arrogant Chairman, selling players, patronising bullshit about the club having to stand on it's own two feet.

History tells us that Administration and/or a CVA usually follows a sustained period where conditions such as these prevail.

I wonder how many fans will drop off the season ticket radar next season? How many casuals will simply find something else to do? How many dads just won't bother taking their kids along any more as the product on the pitch is so fucking mind-numbingly depressing and boring?

this for me. especially the last sentence.

[Chrystovski]

Think my biggest issue with Power is supporters being taken for fools by the drip feed into the media of news of young up and coming decent players we supposedly bid for but were turned down like Bradshaw, Mawson, Nicholls, Centre half from Shrewsbury who went to Brighton. The bids, if they actually happened were never, ever in a million years going to be accepted so we then make do with signing a load of triallists plus young untried freebies from the likes of Maidstone, Redditch, Edgware and Hamilton Accies.

Luke Williams has been here a while now so we are shortly going to run out of contacts like Kasim, Branco, Barker, Rodgers and Barry who passed through his care in youth team at Brighton. Since Powers' mate Tim no longer runs Spurs Youth team, and Anton's dad has left Liverpool where are the next batch of players coming from? Guess we will shortly find out what Paul Jewell's son has been up to as chief scout?

This 

[GL5 Red]

Delta Incline spot on.  I will not be renewing, lads who have been going years will not be going....how many others will be in similar position?  The product on the pitch is depressing, who on their right mind will part with hard earned cash to watch any if the remaining home games?

[Tails]

Delta Incline spot on.  I will not be renewing, lads who have been going years will not be going....how many others will be in similar position?  The product on the pitch is depressing, who on their right mind will part with hard earned cash to watch any if the remaining home games?

Me 

[leftside]

Williams scares the shit out of me to be honest. I don't doubt he's got the makings of being a decent coach, but he was naive beyond belief to admit that he was wrong not to bring players in during January.

Some may argue that he was just being honest, but he made the mistake of grandstanding at the time, the message being that he'd rather work with fewer players than bring anyone else in. As we all know, that decision came back to kick his backside, but his inaction and subsequent admission of the error just demonstrated his lack of experience and created serious doubts about him for many of us.

By openly admitting his mistake should mean that he has learned from it, and he is effectively reassuring the fans that he will not make that mistake again. Hopefully.

[lambourn red]

Delta Incline spot on.  I will not be renewing, lads who have been going years will not be going....how many others will be in similar position?  The product on the pitch is depressing, who on their right mind will part with hard earned cash to watch any if the remaining home games?

I was not going to renew but I thought what else would I do on a Saturday afternoon so i decided to renew mine and one of my sons the other does not want go anymore he just finds it boring. Lets hope that Power sees this season as the disaster that it has been rather than unlucky with injuries etc. I am hoping Power can unearth a couple of gems for next season but he will need some experience as well

[leftside]

Delta Incline spot on.  I will not be renewing, lads who have been going years will not be going....how many others will be in similar position?  The product on the pitch is depressing, who on their right mind will part with hard earned cash to watch any if the remaining home games?

This highlights the 'customer' approach to being a supporter. Surely it is all about being able to accept that sometimes, being a fan of a 3rd division club means that there will be some pretty crap fare to endure. It was ever thus. It is not about renewing your fan status when the 'product' satisfies your sensitivities.

The highs I've experienced as a Town fan are only meaningful because they relate to the bad times.

This isn't about being 'happy clappy' and accepting everything that the club throws at us, it is just about putting what it means to be a football supporter into perspective and being able to cope with some less than average players, some rubbish performances, and the odd depressing season.

[Chrystovski]

If we do go down (I don't think will happen) should Williams be sacked?

[Tails]

If we do go down (I don't think will happen) should Williams be sacked?

No.

[Ells]

Me 

Me too. And I don't think our gates have ever dropped to 2 yet, have they?